ObjectiveTo assess the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of the traditional Chinese medicine compound Shenlong decoction in addressing the symptoms of pulmonary deficiency and stasis in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis （IPF）. MethodsSixty eligible patients with lung deficiency and collateral stasis syndrome of IPF were randomly assigned to the observation （30 patients） and control groups （30 patients）. All patients underwent standard Western medical therapy. Additionally，the observation group received Shenlong decoction granules，while the control group received a placebo. Both treatments were packaged in four doses of 10.5 g each，taken twice daily for three months. The indexes of the patients during the treatment cycle were observed，and the main indexes include traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores and 6 min walk test （6MWT）. The secondary indexes include pulmonary function test ［actual value/expected value of total lung volume （TLC%），actual value/expected value of vital capacity（FVC%），actual/predicted diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide（DLCO%），actual/predicted forced expiratory volume in one second （FEV₁%），and FEV₁/ forced vital capacity （FVC）］，blood gas analysis ［arterial blood diathesis partial pressure of oxygen （PaO₂），partial pressure of carbon dioxide （PaCO₂），and arterial oxygen saturation （SaO₂）］，serum inflammatory factors ［transforming growth factor-β₁ （TGF-β₁），interleukin-4 （IL-4），interleukin-13 （IL-13），interleukin-12 （IL-12），and gamma-interferon （IFN-γ）］，and quality of survival evaluation ［St George's Respiratory Questionnaire （SGRQ） score］. The patients' clinical manifestations were determined at the end of the treatment， and the occurrence of adverse events was recorded. ResultsA total of 53 patients completed the study，comprising 27 in the control group and 26 in the observation group. Upon completion of the treatment period，the control group achieved a total effective rate of 33.33% （9/27），whereas the observation group demonstrated a total effective rate of 53.85% （14/26），which was statistically superior to the control group （χ²=4.034，P<0.05）. After the treatment，the TCM syndrome scores，6MWT，DLCO%，FEV₁%，PaO₂，PaCO₂，TGF-β₁，IL-4，IL-13，IL-12，and IFN-γ in the two groups were all significantly improved （P<0.01）. Compared with those in the control group after treatment at the same period，the TCM syndrome scores，6MWT，PaO₂，and PaCO₂ were significantly improved in the observation group after 60 days and 90 days of medication （P<0.01）. Three months after the end of medication，the SGRQ score in the observation group showed significant improvement when compared to that in the control group （P<0.05），and no severe adverse events were reported during the follow-up period. ConclusionCompound Shenlong decoction can alleviate clinical symptoms such as shortness of breath and wheezing in patients with lung deficiency and collateral stasis syndrome of IPF，enhance exercise tolerance，improve the quality of life，and have certain potential advantages in improving pulmonary function.

ObjectiveTo assess the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of the traditional Chinese medicine compound Shenlong decoction in addressing the symptoms of pulmonary deficiency and stasis in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis （IPF）. MethodsSixty eligible patients with lung deficiency and collateral stasis syndrome of IPF were randomly assigned to the observation （30 patients） and control groups （30 patients）. All patients underwent standard Western medical therapy. Additionally，the observation group received Shenlong decoction granules，while the control group received a placebo. Both treatments were packaged in four doses of 10.5 g each，taken twice daily for three months. The indexes of the patients during the treatment cycle were observed，and the main indexes include traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores and 6 min walk test （6MWT）. The secondary indexes include pulmonary function test ［actual value/expected value of total lung volume （TLC%），actual value/expected value of vital capacity（FVC%），actual/predicted diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide（DLCO%），actual/predicted forced expiratory volume in one second （FEV₁%），and FEV₁/ forced vital capacity （FVC）］，blood gas analysis ［arterial blood diathesis partial pressure of oxygen （PaO₂），partial pressure of carbon dioxide （PaCO₂），and arterial oxygen saturation （SaO₂）］，serum inflammatory factors ［transforming growth factor-β₁ （TGF-β₁），interleukin-4 （IL-4），interleukin-13 （IL-13），interleukin-12 （IL-12），and gamma-interferon （IFN-γ）］，and quality of survival evaluation ［St George's Respiratory Questionnaire （SGRQ） score］. The patients' clinical manifestations were determined at the end of the treatment， and the occurrence of adverse events was recorded. ResultsA total of 53 patients completed the study，comprising 27 in the control group and 26 in the observation group. Upon completion of the treatment period，the control group achieved a total effective rate of 33.33% （9/27），whereas the observation group demonstrated a total effective rate of 53.85% （14/26），which was statistically superior to the control group （χ²=4.034，P<0.05）. After the treatment，the TCM syndrome scores，6MWT，DLCO%，FEV₁%，PaO₂，PaCO₂，TGF-β₁，IL-4，IL-13，IL-12，and IFN-γ in the two groups were all significantly improved （P<0.01）. Compared with those in the control group after treatment at the same period，the TCM syndrome scores，6MWT，PaO₂，and PaCO₂ were significantly improved in the observation group after 60 days and 90 days of medication （P<0.01）. Three months after the end of medication，the SGRQ score in the observation group showed significant improvement when compared to that in the control group （P<0.05），and no severe adverse events were reported during the follow-up period. ConclusionCompound Shenlong decoction can alleviate clinical symptoms such as shortness of breath and wheezing in patients with lung deficiency and collateral stasis syndrome of IPF，enhance exercise tolerance，improve the quality of life，and have certain potential advantages in improving pulmonary function.

Objective: To develop a non-invasive predictive model for coronary artery stenosis severity based on adaptive multi-modal integration of traditional Chinese and western medicine data. Methods: Clinical indicators, echocardiographic data, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) tongue manifestations, and facial features were collected from patients who underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) in the Cardiac Care Unit (CCU) of Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital between May 1, 2023 and May 1, 2024. An adaptive weighted multi-modal data fusion (AWMDF) model based on deep learning was constructed to predict the severity of coronary artery stenosis. The model was evaluated using metrics including accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). Further performance assessment was conducted through comparisons with six ensemble machine learning methods, data ablation, model component ablation, and various decision-level fusion strategies. Results: A total of 158 patients were included in the study. The AWMDF model achieved excellent predictive performance (AUC = 0.973, accuracy = 0.937, precision = 0.937, recall = 0.929, and F1 score = 0.933). Compared with model ablation, data ablation experiments, and various traditional machine learning models, the AWMDF model demonstrated superior performance. Moreover, the adaptive weighting strategy outperformed alternative approaches, including simple weighting, averaging, voting, and fixed-weight schemes. Conclusion The AWMDF model demonstrates potential clinical value in the non-invasive prediction of coronary artery disease and could serve as a tool for clinical decision support.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and prognostic factors influencing the treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) combined with bladder cancer (BCa) by laparoscopic simultaneous radical cystectomy and nephroureterectomy (RCNU). METHODS: The clinical data of patients admitted to Peking University Third Hospital for laparoscopic RCNU surgery from January 2009 to September 2023 were analyzed retrospectively. Based on the same gender, age (±5 years), history of uroepithelial tumors, underlying diseases, T-stage, N-stage, M-stage, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, Charlson comorbidity index, and body mass index (BMI) (±5), 34 patients with RCNU were matched 1 ∶1 with patients with bladder cancer who underwent laparoscopic radical cystectomy (RC) alone. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to calculate patient survival, and Cox proportional regression risk model was used to analyze clinical factors affecting prognosis. RESULTS: Of the 68 patients enrolled, the follow-up rate was 100% with a median follow-up time of 27.0 (11.7, 60.2) months. Comparison of intraoperative conditions (including operation time, estimated intraoperative bleeding, intra-operative blood transfusion, etc.) between the two groups of patients showed no significant difference (P>0.05). Comparison of preoperative creatinine and postoperative creatinine between the two groups of patients showed significant differences (P < 0.05). The perioperative Clavien grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ complication rates were 2.9% (1/34) in the RC group and 5.9% (2/34) in the RCNU group. There was no significant difference in terms of perioperative complications between the two groups. Overall survival was significantly lower in the patients receiving RCNU compared with the matched group receiving RC alone (P < 0.05). Cox regression analysis suggested that two factors, high N stage and high postoperative creatinine, were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients in the 2 groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The overall survival prognosis of patients undergoing RCNU surgery was worse compared with laparoscopic RC surgery alone during the same period. There was no clinically significant difference between the two groups in terms of operation time, intraoperative bleeding, and perioperative complications, and there were clinically significant differences in preoperative renal function and post-operative renal function.
Humans ; Laparoscopy/methods* ; Nephroureterectomy/methods* ; Cystectomy/methods* ; Prognosis ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Female ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/mortality* ; Middle Aged ; Aged

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the anti-aging effect of β-sitosterol (BS), an important component in the fruits of Alpinia oxyphylla Miq., in C. elegans and its regulatory effect on ETS-5 gene to modulate ferroptosis. METHODS: C. elegans treated with 10 µg/mL BS were monitored for survival time and changes in body length, motility, and reproductive function. The effect of ETS-5 gene knockdown on survival time of C. elegans was observed, and the changes in fat accumulation and lipid redox homeostasis in the transfected C. elegans were assessed using Oil Red O staining and by detecting MDA levels and the GSH/GSSG ratio. The mRNA expression levels of ferroptosis-related genes (FTN-1, GPX-1 and AAT-9) were detected using qPCR. The effects of BS treatment and ETS-5 knockdown on AAT-9 enzyme activity in C. elegans were examined. The effect of BS on nuclear localization of FEV (the human homolog of ETS-5) was validated in cultured human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVECs). RESULTS: Both BS treatment and ETS-5 knockdown significantly prolonged the lifespan, promoted lipid accumulation and reduced lipid peroxidation in C. elegans. ETS-5 knockdown resulted in upregulated expressions of the ferroptosis repressors GPX-1, AAT-9 and FTN-1 and increased the GSH/GSSG ratio in C. elegans. CONCLUSIONS BS inhibits ferroptosis in C. elegans by suppressing the expression of ETS-5 transcription factor and hence the activity of AAT-9 enzyme, a key gene for ferroptosis, which in turn prolongs the lifespan of C. elegans.
Animals ; Caenorhabditis elegans/physiology* ; Ferroptosis/drug effects* ; Alpinia/chemistry* ; Sitosterols/pharmacology* ; Longevity/drug effects* ; Fruit/chemistry* ; Humans

Methods: Data of TCM indicators (tongue, facial, and pulse diagnostics) and clinical parameters from patients diagnosed with CHD at the Cardiology Department of Shanghai Baoshan Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, from October 3, 2023 to March 15, 2024, were collected. Important variables were identified using importance screening and correlation analysis with CHD risk factors and laboratory markers. Six machine learning models including logistic regression (LR), decision tree (DT), support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbors (KNN), random forest (RF), and gradient boosting (GB), were applied to evaluate the risk of coronary artery obstruction by combining clinical and TCM data of CHD. Model performance was assessed using metrics such as accuracy, precision, and recall, with reliability validated through ten-fold cross-validation. Results: A total of 288 patients were included in the study. Fifteen clinical risk factors, including body mass index (BMI), myoglobin, and alcohol consumption history, were incorporated into the diagnostic models. The KNN model showed good performance when combining clinical data with tongue and facial data. The SVM model performed well when clinical data was combined with pulse data. Among all the models, the KNN model with 10-fold cross-validation, which integrates the three types of TCM diagnostic data (tongue, face, and pulse) with clinical data, performs the best (accuracy: 0.837, precision: 0.814, and recall: 0.809). Conclusion Incorporating TCM diagnostic data can enhance the accuracy of coronary artery obstruction risk assessment. The KNN prediction model that integrate tongue, facial, and pulse data performs the best and can be recommended as a clinical decision support tool.

ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanism of Danggui Sini Granules （当归四逆颗粒） in treatment of coronary heart disease with cold congealing and blood stasis syndrome. MethodsFifty SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， a Danshen Pill （丹参滴丸） group， and a low- and high-dosage Danggui Sini Granules group， with 10 rats in each group. Except for the blank group， the rat model of coronary heart disease with cold congealing and blood stasis syndrome was established by repeated cold stimulation at low temperature combined with intraperitoneal injection of posterior pituitary hormone in all other groups. In the 6th week of modelling， 0.073 g·kg^-1·d^-1 of compound Danshen Pill was given to the Danshen Pill group， 20.2 and 40.4 g·kg^-1·d^-1 of Danggui Sini Granules were given to the low- and high-dose Danggui Sini Granules groups， respectively， and 0.2 ml/10 g of sterile water was given to the blank group and the model group， all for 2 consecutive weeks. The general conditions of the rats were recorded， and the body mass was compared weekly. At the end of the intervention， electrocardiogram， blood rheological indexes， including whole blood low-cut viscosity， whole blood high-cut viscosity， erythrocyte aggregation index， and cardiac index were detected to evaluate the effect of the medication， and HE staining was used to observe the myocardial histopathological changes， TUNEL staining to detect the apoptotic situation of cardiomyocytes， and ELISA to detect the serum thyroid-stimulating hormone （TSH）， free triiodothyronine （FT₃）， free tetraiodothyronine （FT₄） levels and thromboxane B₂ （TXB₂）， 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α （6-Keto-PGF_1α）， endothelin 1 （ET-1）， and nitric oxide （NO） levels. ResultsCompared with the blank group at the same time point， the body mass of rats in the remaining groups decreased at all time points （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）； compared with the model group at the same time point， the body mass of rats in high-dose Danggui Sini Granules group and Danshen Pill group increased at the 6th and 7th weeks （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. In the blank group， the S-T segment of the electrocardiogram was close to the isoelectric line， the myocardial structure was regular， the fibres were closely arranged， and the nuclei of the cells were intact and neatly aligned； in the model group， the S-T segment of the electrocardiogram significantly elevated， and the arrangement of the myocardial fibres was obviously disordered， with myocardial cells appearing to be swollen， necrotic， and infiltrated by inflammatory cells， and the apoptosis-positive cells of the cardiac muscle cells obviously increased； in each of the medication groups， the electrocardiogram had a lowered S-T segment， and myocardial fibres were aligned， myocyte structure and morphology were improved， inflammatory cells reduced， and the number of apoptosis-positive cells significantly reduced. Compared with the blank group， the cardiac index， whole blood high cut viscosity， whole blood low cut viscosity， erythrocyte aggregation index increased in the model group， and the serum levels of TSH， FT₃， FT₄， NO， 6-Keto-PGF_1α significantly reduced， and the levels of ET-1 and TXB₂ significantly increased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the model group， the levels of cardiac index， whole blood high cut viscosity， whole blood low cut viscosity， erythrocyte aggregation index， ET-1 and TXB₂ significantly decreased and the levels of NO and 6-Keto-PGF_1α significantly increased in each medication group， and the serum levels of TSH， FT₃， and FT₄ elevated in the high-dose Danggui Sini Granules group and Danshen Pill group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. The serum TSH level of rats in the low-dose Danggui Sini Granules group was lower than that in Danshen Pill group and the high-dose Danggui Sini Granules group （P＜0.01）. ConclusionDanggui Sini Granules have the effect of alleviating myocardial injury in coronary heart disease with cold congealing and blood stasis syndrome， and its mechanism may be related to reducing myocardial cell apoptosis， improving energy metabolism， and regulating the level of vasoactive factors.

Objective:To develop and evaluate the efficacy and safety of a three-dimensional (3D) digestive endoscope for gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) through animal experiments.Methods:Two Dutch pigs were utilized from the Zhengzhou University Animal Experiment Center for the study. ESD procedures were performed by two senior endoscopists, one using 3D glasses and the other utilizing a 3D high-definition head display. The success of ESD was assessed based on predefined criteria, including completion of surgical steps, complete detachment of the presumptive lesion, and effective bleeding control during and after the surgery. The number of successful procedures and incidences of perforation were recorded. The stereoscopic experience of the endoscopists, including both the primary endoscopist and the assistant, was also evaluated. Furthermore, the assessment encompassed any reported symptoms of eye discomfort, such as eye fatigue, ocular pain, and blurred vision. Additionally, the confidence level of the endoscopists in the mechanical aspects of the operation, as well as encountered issues during the endoscopic procedures, were documented.Results:Two ESD were successful and no perforation occurred. Feedback from endoscopists suggested that 3D digestive endoscopy offered clear images with enhanced three-dimensionality during surgery, clear sense of distance and layering, allowing for a precise judgment of bleeding points, which surpassed 2D capabilities. No eye discomfort was experienced by endoscopists or assistants during or after the procedures. While endoscopists exhibited high confidence in 3D digestive endoscopy, they noted issues with image blurring when the camera was positioned less than 10 mm from the gastrointestinal tract wall.Conclusion:Preliminary results show that 3D digestive endoscopes can provide excellent stereo imaging, improved positioning accuracy, and safety during live animal stomach ESD procedures, without significantly increasing endoscopists' eye discomfort. Nevertheless, efforts are needed to address image blurring concerns when the camera is close to the gastrointestinal tract wall.

ObjectiveTo analyze and determine the differential components of freeze-dried and sun-dried Panacis Quinquefolii Radix（PQR）， and to compare the differences in their pro-angiogenic activities. MethodFingerprints of freeze-dried and sun-dried PQR were established based on ultra performance liquid chromatography（UPLC）， and chemometrics methods such as principal component analysis（PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） were combined to determine the differential saponin composition of the two decoction pieces， and six representative saponins were selected and their contents in freeze-dried and sun-dried PQR were determined by UPLC. Transgenic zebrafish line Tg（fli1a∶EGFP） embryos fertilized for 24 h were selected， and different doses of 70% methanol extracts of freeze-dried and sun-dried PQR（10， 30 mg·L^-1） were used to intervene in normal zebrafish and in a zebrafish model of intersegmental vascular（ISV） injury induced by vascular endothelial growth factor（VEGF） receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor Ⅱ（PTK787）， then the development of subintestinal vein（SIV） and ISV of zebrafish was observed， SIV diameter， mean number of crossings and mean number of germinations were determined， and the ISV vascular index was calculated， in order to compare the pro-angiogenic activities of the two decoction pieces. ResultThe similarity of the fingerprints of freeze-dried and sun-dried PQR decoction pieces was>0.950， and 17 common peaks were identified， of which 6 common peaks were designated as peak 6（ginsenoside Rg₁）， peak 7（ginsenoside Re）， peak 8（ginsenoside Rb₁）， peak 11（ginsenoside Rc）， peak 13（ginsenoside Rb₂）， and peak 16（ginsenoside Rd）， respectively. A total of 11 differential saponin components were screened by PCA and OPLS-DA， indicating that there were some differences in the contents of the components in the two decoction pieces. The results of determination showed that the contents of ginsenosides Rg₁， Re， Rb₁ and Rb₂ in freeze-dried PQR were higher than those in sun-dried PQR， while the contents of ginsenosides Rc and Rd were lower than those in sun-dried PQR（P<0.05， P<0.01）. In the study of the pro-angiogenic effect on normal zebrafish embryos， compared with the blank group， and the SIV vessel diameter， mean germination rate and mean crossover rate were significantly higher in the high-dose groups of freeze-dried and sun-dried PQR（P<0.01）， and the vessel diameter， mean numbers of crossings and germinations in the freeze-dried PQR group were higher than those of the sun-dried PQR group（P<0.05）. In the study of the pro-angiogenic effect on zebrafish embryos with ISV injury， the development of ISV in the model group was significantly inhibited when compared with the blank group， compared with the model group， different dose groups of freeze-dried and sun-dried PQR could promote the growth and sprouting of ISV， and the number of normal blood vessels in the freeze-dried PQR group was significantly higher than that in the sun-dried PQR group at the same dosage（P<0.05）. ConclusionFreeze-drying can effectively avoid the loss and secondary transformation of ginsenosides in PQR， and its angiogenic activity is better than that of sun-dried PQR， which can provide a reference for the production and development of high-quality PQR decoction pieces.

Objective:To develop a robotic digestive endoscope system (RDES) and to evaluate its feasibility, safety and control performance by experiments.Methods:The RDES was designed based on the master-slave control system, which consisted of 3 parts: the integrated endoscope, including a knob and button robotic control system integrated with a gastroscope; the robotic mechanical arm system, including the base and arm, as well as the endoscopic advance-retreat control device (force-feedback function was designed) and the endoscopic axial rotation control device; the control console, including a master manipulator and an image monitor. The operator sit far away from the endoscope and controlled the master manipulator to bend the end of the endoscope and to control advance, retract and rotation of the endoscope. The air supply, water supply, suction, figure fixing and motion scaling switching was realized by pressing buttons on the master manipulator. In the endoscopy experiments performed on live pigs, 5 physicians each were in the beginner and advanced groups. Each operator operated RDES and traditional endoscope (2 weeks interval) to perform porcine gastroscopy 6 times, comparing the examination time. In the experiment of endoscopic circle drawing on the inner wall of the simulated stomach model, each operator in the two groups operated RDES 1∶1 motion scaling, 5∶1 motion scaling and ordinary endoscope to complete endoscopic circle drawing 6 times, comparing the completion time, accuracy (i.e. trajectory deviation) and workload.Results:RDES was operated normally with good force feedback function. All porcine in vivo gastroscopies were successful, without mucosal injury, bleeding or perforation. In beginner and advanced groups, the examination time of both RDES and ordinary endoscopy tended to decrease as the number of operations increased, but the decrease in time was greater for operating RDES than for operating ordinary endoscope (beginner group P=0.033; advanced group P=0.023). In the beginner group, the operators operating RDES with 1∶1 motion scaling or 5∶1 motion scaling to complete endoscopic circle drawing had shorter completion time [1.68 (1.40, 2.17) min, 1.73 (1.47, 2.37) min VS 4.13 (2.27, 5.16) min, H=32.506, P<0.001], better trajectory deviation (0.50±0.11 mm, 0.46±0.11 mm VS 0.82±0.26 mm, F=38.999, P<0.001], and less workload [42.00 (30.00, 50.33) points, 43.33 (35.33, 54.00) points VS 52.67 (48.67, 63.33) points, H=20.056, P<0.001] than operating ordinary endoscope. In the advanced group, the operators operating RDES with 1∶1 or 5∶1 motion scaling to complete endoscopic circle drawing had longer completion time than operating ordinary endoscope [1.72 (1.37, 2.53) min, 1.57 (1.25, 2.58) min VS 1.15 (0.86, 1.58) min, H=13.233, P=0.001], but trajectory deviation [0.47 (0.13, 0.57) mm, 0.44 (0.39, 0.58) mm VS 0.52 (0.42, 0.59) mm, H=3.202, P=0.202] and workload (44.62±21.77 points, 41.24±12.57 points VS 44.71±17.92 points, F=0.369, P=0.693) were not different from those of the ordinary endoscope. Conclusion:The RDES enables remote control, greatly reducing the endoscopists' workload. Additionally, it gives full play to the cooperative motion function of the large and small endoscopic knobs, making the control more flexible. Finally, it increases motion scaling switching function to make the control of endoscope more flexible and more accurate. It is also easy for beginners to learn and master, and can shorten the training period. So it can provide the possibility of remote endoscopic control and fully automated robotic endoscope.